Paapa Essiedu really does not want to talk about J.K. Rowling

Since HBO announced plans for a new Harry Potter series based on Rowling’s books, the project has been steeped in controversy, largely because of the author’s outspoken anti-trans views. Rowling also serves as an executive producer on the reboot. Many feel that supporting the franchise, whether it’s by watching the new show, visiting the HP theme parks, or buying merch, amounts to financially supporting Rowling, and thus her political interests. Previous franchise stars, like Daniel Radcliffe, and stars of the new show have publicly disagreed with Rowling’s politics. Earlier this year, more than 400 professionals from the U.K. film and TV industry, including Essiedu, signed an open letter supporting trans rights. In the lead-up to the reboot’s Christmas Day premiere, people have also taken to the streets to protest. 

Separately from the Rowling of it all, Essiedu has been subject to racist reactions and death threats from purported fans who have a problem with a Black man playing Snape. Essiedu told Vanity Fair that he’s not trying to erase the legacy of the previous films or Alan Rickman’s performance as Snape, and he doesn’t want to alienate die-hard fans. And while he didn’t comment on Rowling profiting from the new series, he said that he’s more interested in the source material’s “Themes of forgiveness, and good triumphing over evil, and of accepting people for who they are and allowing people to really be themselves within a world where anything is possible.”